Oh yeah, sure, have that be the thing Vix is remembered for. What a wonderful moment they had to look back on. The chandelier's shoulders sagged, and her flame dimmed. "Out of everything I've done, that's what you decided to remember the most? Everyone was having existential crises, it was basically the flavor of the... year? I don't remember how long it was, actually."
Dave waved a hand. "Look, first sufficiently specific thing that came to mind. Would you have preferred the time you got obliterated by a moon cannon?"
"Moon cannon?" Jean asked, peeking over his shoulder and blinking at Vix. Her eyes widened, voice dropping to an excited whisper. "...Did you go on
adventures together?
Secret adventures? Is that why he won't tell me about it?"
"Jean, I told you, I just didn't remember
any of this shit until we got the 'invitation'."
"I'm Jean!" Jean said, waving eagerly at Vix, still holding onto Dave's shoulder. "Were you
heroes? Did you save the world?"
"Pokemon are a kind of animal in your world? That invites many questions - can they still use moves, or channel luminescence in other ways? Are there still inorganic Pokemon such as Gastly or Klink? I suppose it's possible they could have an anima structure without having souls - although in my world that would likely lead to them being termed something other than Pokemon or animals, some new category for things which have living bodies and anima structure but not souls. It seems quite likely that humans do have souls though, if you can be transferred to another body while retaining your memories and personality. Perhaps you never noticed because there are no species with soul-affecting or sensing abilities in your world."
Luminescence, anima structure -- none of this was the same stuff they talked about in Cibus (as far as he'd been able to tell, everything there was just supposedly explained by 'aura', as if that explained anything). Was it the woo bullshit it sounded like or just legit Pokémon science over in the Abomasnow's world? Hard to tell, but in general the Abomasnow's train of thought at least seemed to hold water. Benefit of the doubt, for now? Why not.
"We do have Gastly and Klink. Can't say we have the specifics concepts you're using, but Pokémon can use moves, yeah. Power to manipulate their bodies and environment and channel energy in ways only Pokémon can do, that we can measure but still can't replicate artificially. Science has never detected anything like a 'soul'. What do you mean by 'soul-affecting' abilities - like, psychic shit? Because over in my world that all just works via the brain. Squishy neural network that experiences consciousness all by itself."
Tiana waved a wing and stood in her place, tilting her head at just about everyone in turns. "Morning... I think? It was afternoon when we left." She looked around at some of the Pokémon, eyeing the more-or-less-Ninetales in the group more succinctly. "Are all of you from somewhere else as well? I'm sorry, I'm not even sure how to ask." She pointed to the whiteness of the sky.
Jean looked up, grinning. "Hi! We're from a world where Pokémon don't talk!"
Dave facepalmed.
He glanced around to take in the other participants. As expected, there were both humans and mon, although... what was up with that ninetales looking one? Was she some kind of out-of-region evolution, or was she one of those humans that dressed like mon that Jess had sometimes talked about, those... "furries"? Well, he'd probably find out through the course of the game.
There was a boy standing there, muscular, long dark hair, looking at Jean. Not really the sort of look people usually gave her since she'd evolved, more... confused. His gaze was strange and intense, a knife-sized scabbard gleaming at his belt. Just like the dark, brooding Kuro in the Sarah Hooter books - he always carried a knife, too, ready to defend himself against thugs and criminals. She shyly raised a hand to wave at him, just as his gaze drifted elsewhere, moving intently through the crowd as if looking for someone. Who was he...?
